Pennsylvania American Water Explains May's Boil Advisory During Legislative Hearing

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Representatives from Pennsylvania American Water (PAW) spent much of this morning in a legislative hearing, explaining to local representatives and the public why and how the water-boil advisory came into affect on May 20. The four-day water advisory impacted households and countless businesses in the area, including those in Lower Providence Township.

According to a report in the Times Herald, the hearings were not intended to be “a lynching,” but to find out more about how the advisory became necessary.

Rep. Mike Vereb (R-150) said that complaints about dirty water were plentiful when called into LP Township Manager Richard Gesrich.

“There were complaints about brown water,” said Verb according to the Herald story.

Kathy Pape, president of PAW, seemed to disagree, according to the report.

“The water was not compromised. The brown water did not come from the plant,” she said in the Times Herald article. “Our calls were about ‘no water,’ not brown water. If it has a color to it, it is difficult to tell someone that is drinkable water.”

The report states that over 150 restaurants in East and West Norriton, Lower Providence, Whitpain, Worcester and Whitemarsh were forced to close during the advisory. Those businesses, according to Pape, can now file damage claims against PAW to recover lost funds.

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